


the oaths we take, the sacrifices we make

by nonbinarywithaknife (littleboxes)



Series: dimension 20 [56]
Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Genre: (sorta???? just a real Intense vibe), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Campaign 05: A Crown of Candy, Devotion, Duty, Gen, Knighting ceremony, Knights - Freeform, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:01:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25640998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littleboxes/pseuds/nonbinarywithaknife
Summary: "In times of war, a squire who had demonstrated exceptional bravery in battle could be knighted on the battlefield by another knight."(Liam is not a squire and a tournament ground is not a battlefield but Sir Theobald Gumbar will not allow another member of the Rocks family to be buried young.)
Relationships: Theobald Gumbar & Liam Wilhelmina Jawbreaker
Series: dimension 20 [56]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706107
Comments: 4
Kudos: 51





	the oaths we take, the sacrifices we make

**Author's Note:**

> me: huh i wonder what the order of north gumbia is like  
> me, ten minutes later: what if liam had become a knight....

They are standing on a tournament field. There’s still blood soaking into the ground where Amethar fell, the seats are rapidly emptying of terrified nobility, and Liam is looking at Amethar with terror in his eyes.

Theobald Gumbar is not, generally speaking, an impulsive person. Even less so in matters of honor. He is practical, experienced, used to pushing past the adrenaline-fueled panic of battle.

Liam is going to be executed for witchcraft. Liam is seventeen. If they fight openly for him, Candia will go to war against the Concord. Liam is shaking.

_You are not gonna die._

_I could take Liam and run._

_Do I need to go?_

“What if Liam were a knight?“ Theo says, and Calroy looks at him.

“Doesn’t that require, like, a whole 24-hour vigil, and-”

"I’m the Lord-Commander, and Liam just saved the king’s life. I’d say that’s a demonstration of exceptional bravery, wouldn’t you?”

Calroy blinks, and Amethar looks at Theo.

“Is that gonna be enough?”

Theo looks at Liam, who looks up at him. His eyes are filled with fear, and a little hope.

“It will be.”

“I, uh, I don’t know how to be a knight? And-”

Theo puts a paw on his shoulder.

“Liam, I will teach you the particulars later. For now, Jet? Ruby? We’ll want as many witnesses as possible.”

Jet and Ruby gather with Amethar and Calroy and Lapin in a semi-circle. In theory, Amethar could be the one knighting Liam. But he moves to the side without discussion.

Theo motions for Liam to kneel.

(If this were a proper knighting ceremony, Liam would be wearing white. His knees would ache- the way Theo remembers- after kneeling at an altar through the night.

His brothers in arms would gather around as the sun rose. His Lord Commander would recite words of virtue and honor and sacrifice, and then the oaths would be sworn.

Liam would receive his sword and shield and armor; he would take the day to prove his martial prowess; it would be a day of celebration and pride.

Instead Liam is kneeling on a dusty, blood-soaked tournament ground and his eyes are filled with tears of fear, and Theo is not allowing any of his desperate determination to make sure that Liam _lives_ to interrupt the ceremony.

What little of it that matters, anyway.)

“Count Liam Wilhelmina of House Jawbreaker, do you swear on the Bulb to speak only the truth?”

_Theobald of the House of Gumbar, do you swear on the Bulb to speak only the truth?_

_The Lord Commander booms and the question that isn’t, really, rings through the silent hall. Theo feels as though the devotion swelling in him is going to choke the words from his throat._

Liam, despite his fear and confusion, answers with more seriousness than Theo expected. It’s both appreciated and saddening.

“Yeah- uh, I do. I swear.”

_I swear, he says, and his voice is as steady as his knee._

The nobles that haven’t yet left are staring. Good. Theo hopes that this is enough. He hopes he won’t have to learn what lengths he will go to if it isn’t.

“Do you swear to be loyal to our lord, King Amethar of the House of Rocks?”

_Do you swear to be loyal to our lord, King Jadain of the House of Rocks?_

_Yes! Theo wants to scream. He wants this more than he has wanted anything in his life. The chance to serve something, to fight for something, to_ stand _for something he believes in. What better thing could there be than that?_

The air around Liam still smells faintly of peppermint magic. Its glow is little enough that no one but Theo can see it.

“I, I swear.”

_I swear, he says. The words feel like too much and not enough._

Preston is standing still at Liam’s side. The air is silent and the silence solemn, and Theo finds the absence of quiet snuffles and high pitched squeaks grating, rather than appropriate. It’s a fearful silence, not a respectful one. A reminder that this isn’t a celebration, but a last ditch attempt at salvation.

“Do you swear to be charitable; to defend the poor, and the helpless?”

_Do you swear to be charitable? To defend the helpless, the poor?_

_Later, when Theo has become the Archmage’s ward, he will be given a shield called Swirlwarden and the first time he uses it to take someone else’s damage he will forget the feeling of anything but Swirlwarden on his arm._

_For now, Theo thinks of the practice shield, polished to a gleam, lying in his quarters._

Theo thinks of Liam gently placing a baby sprinkle back into its nest; Liam carrying Preston back to the castle after he’d twisted his hoof; Liam whispering, _thanks for letting me through_ to the tall sweetgrass as he walks.

“I swear.”

 _I swear_. _(A jagged line on his arm from a dagger meant for the Archmage; a sun burst on his side from a shortsword meant for the King; an ache in his shoulder from an arrow meant for the Queen-)_

“Do you swear to be brave?”

_Do you swear to be brave?_

_Theo has never felt brave. He’s only ever felt dutiful._

Liam, standing in front of a stadium and marking his prey- casting magic in front of the church- “Poison!”

“I swear.”

 _I swear_. 

_But then, that’s what happens when the answer to_

_How far will you go for me?_

_is_

_That’s a question for someone willing to stop._

“Do you swear to never avoid dangerous paths out of fear?”

_Do you swear to never allow fear to sway you from dangerous paths?_

A question that neither Theo nor Liam have ever need an oath to answer.

“I swear,” Liam says, execution looming on the horizon.

_I swear, Theo says, unaware the paths he will one day be asked to travel._

Theo draws the Broadsicle neatly and brings down onto to Liam’s left shoulder. His right.

“Rise, Sir Liam Wilhelmina, knight of Candia, sworn to the Order of North Gumbia.”

_Rise, Sir Theobald. Knight of Candia._

**Author's Note:**

> i did pick and choose what the points of the knight's oath were, but to be fair all of these are accurate to the (2) minutes of research on english knighting ceremonies i did and "If taken prisoner, he would give up his arms and horse to his opponent and not fight the opponent again without the opponent's consent" doesn't really have the same dramatic vibe


End file.
